Water vehicle with elevated deck



United States Patent 4/1969 Primary Examiner-Andrew H. FarrellAttorney-Huebner and Worrel 1,344,903 6/1920 Koiransky.................

ABSTRACT: A water vehicle including a flat bottom hull supported abovethe water on depending legs connected to a pair of pontoons. The legsare of taperedtconstruction with a broad base pivoted to the hull and anarrow ankle portion joined to their respective pontoons. A stabilizingweight is connected to the hull and the pontoons. Sliding panels on thelegs provide for additional buoyancy. Adjustable devices between thehull and the legs are adapted to swing the legs outwardly for loweringthe hull to provide greater stability and for disposing the legs andpontoons above water for maintenance purposes.

10 4 wa 2 4 H 0 b2 M .J H l n K B4 8 C In S E ..J 3 D m m L D n u D. E mm S m A T m m mm v A m m E m n V m m Tm D m m m mmm i ow n msm I. 8 i un E mg 1 r m m rm m n n An u A WF m m\rTm m 4 E8 n k e wmma L m m m mummmm w mam e uh W3C7SN mmm MU V U m o w R m M m N. m am a n e NHme h .C mum c s n 3 l AFP W8 UhF U 2 I 1]] 1 1]] l 8 2 2 7 22% M mum M I [[l 1Patented Nov. 24, 1970 WILL/AM BARKLEY lNVENTO/P ATTORNEYS Patented Nov.24, 1970 3,541,987

I WILLIAM BAR/(LEV 72' .74., 4 INVENTO/P MwM A TTORNEVS WATER VEHICLEWITH ELEVATED DECK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION supporting the decks inelevationally spaced relation to the.

water. While such solutions have met with some degree of success, theyare not completely satisfactory because of inherent limitations upon theuse of the water vehicle. For example, in the case ofa bargeelevationally supported above the water on floats the'barge cannot moveinto shallow water as a normal flat-bottomed barge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore anohject of the presentinvention to provide an improved water vehicle.

Another object is to provide a-water vehicle of simple and improvedconstruction, having adjustable floats selectively positionable forincreased stability of the vehicle.

Another object is to provide a substantially stable foundation on waterfor personnel and equipment.

Another objectis to provide a' water vehicle having floats and legsproviding additional buoyancy.

Another object is to' provide a water vehicle with legs providing anincreasing liftingeffect when high swells in the water are encountered.

Another object is to provide a watervehicle supported on floats by legswhich present a minimal area at the water-air interface for minimizingresistance to movement of the vehicle through the water.

Another object is to provide a water vehicle supported on legs which aremovable relative to a main deck of thevehicle to allow easy maintenanceof the vehicle'without the use of adry dock.

Another object is to provide a water vehicle which includes aflat-bottom barge el'evationally supported above the water supportedabove the water on depending legs. The legs are ofv tapered constructionwith a broad base pivoted to the hull and a relatively narrow ankleportion joined to respective pontoons. The legs are of an open-workconstruction to provide a supporting structure which is substantiallywave transparent for stability ofthe vehicle .when at anchor. Slidingpanels are adapted to close off the lower portions of the legs toprovide additional buoyancy and stability as the vehicle encounters highswells while under way. A stabilizing weight is connected to the hulland the pontoons and is normally disposed at a substantial depth in thewater. Adjustable devices, such as hydraulic rams or the like,interconnect the hull and the legs and are adapted to swing the legsoutwardly for lowering the hull to provide greater stability. Thevarious parts are dimensioned for disposing the legs and the pontoonsabove water to place the hull in a floating position for the purposes ofmaintenance and to allow the barge hull to move into shallow water as anormal flat-bottomed barge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF-THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of awater vehicle embodying the principles ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the water vehicle.

FIGS. 3 through 6 are schematic end views of the water vehicleillustrating the several dispositions of the hull and pontoons thereof.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing the manner ofinterconnecting the hull and pontoons for adjustability.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the connections shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the sliding panels and actuatinglinkages therefor. I

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is showna water vehicle lt l'embodying the principles ofthe present inventionwhich includes a hull 12 supported on depending legs 14, the lower endsof which are attached to pontoons 16. A stabilizing weight 18 isconnected to the hull 12 by a cable 20 and powered winch 22, as shown inFIG. 3, for raising and lowering the weight. The weight 18 is alsoconnected to the pontoons l6'by cables 24 which can be connected toremotely controlled winches, not shown, in the pontoons. The pontoonsare provided with remotely controlled power driven water screws 26 forpropelling the vehicle through water. The hull 12 can also be providedwith a power driven water screw 28 for propelling the hull when thelatter is in floating position on the water, as will later appear.

, The hull 12 can take the form of a flat-bottomed barge with a deck 30which supports a superstructure 32 adapted to house personnel andequipment. Mounted on the superstructure are a pair of motor drivenwinches 34. Connected to each of the winches-are the ends of a pair ofpull lines or cables 36. Each cable 36 is trained over a pulley'orsheave 38' mounted for rotation on the superstructure and a roller 40rotatably mounted in a bracket 42 secured to the deck 30 at the lateraledges of the hull 12. The outer ends of the cables 36 are secured to thedepending legs 14 by U-shaped connectors 44. or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the legs 14 are adapted to be adjustablypositioned with respect to the hull 12. To this end, the legs 14 aresuitably hinged or pivotally connected to the hull at the lateral edgesthereof for swinging about apivotal axis designated by referencenumeral46. Referring also to FIGS. 1 and 2, each leg 14 is of substantiallongitudinal extent and includes a plurality ofspaced vertical posts 48interconnected'b'y a plate 50. and cross braces 52 providing a loweropen work construction. Each post has a generally triangularconfiguration with an upper broad base 54 and a lower ankle portion 56of relatively narrow transverse extent, the pontoon 16 being fixed tothe latter. The triangular configuration of'the posts providessubstantial strength and the open work construction provides a degree oftransparency to broad side waves when the water vehicle is at anchor.When the vehicle is under way, the ankle portions present a minimum ofarea transversely of the direction of movement of the vehicle forminimizing resistance to such movement.

To effect swinging of the legs 14, interconnecting the hall 12 andselected leg posts 48 are a plurality of hydraulic rams 58'suitablyspaced along the-sides of the hull, there being at least a pair of suchrams on each side. Inviting attention to FIGS. 7 and 8, each hydraulicram includes a cylindrical casing 60 housed in a recess 62 in the hulland pivoted thereto, as at 6 4. Reciprocally mounted within the casingis a connecting rod 66 the exterior or distal end of which carries acollar 68 with a central opening 70 in which a locking pin 72 is adaptedto be slidably received, the pin being suitably supported for slidingand actuated by an hydraulic ram 74 mounted on a respective leg post 48.The rods of the hydraulic rams 58 are thus releasably locked to the legs14. Upon appropriate actuation of the hydraulic rams 58, the legs can bedisposed as shown in FIG. 4 for greater stability of the water vehiclewith the hull 12 still elevated, or the hull can be lowered to theposition shown in FIG. 5 in which it is floating in the water.

When the rams 58 are actuated to retract the rods 66, the legs are intheir normal sea state position or attitude, as shown in FIG. 3. Asshown in FIGS. 7 and 8, additional means can be provided for holding thelegs in such attitude and can take the form of tangs 68 individuallyfixed to selected posts 48. Each tang has an aperture 70' in which alocking pin 72 is adapted to be received, the pin being suitably mountedon the hull l2 and actuated by an hydraulic ram 74.

With the legs 14 disposed as shown in FIG. 5, the connecting rods 66 ofthe hydraulic rams 58 are in their fully extended positions and can bedisconnected from the legs by actuation of the hydraulic rams 74 forwithdrawing the locking pins 72 from the collars 68. The rods can thenbe retracted and the legs and pontoons raised to upright positions. asshown in FIG. 6, by operation of the winches 34, the brackets 42 servingto engage the respective legs and limit movement thereof beyond suchpositions. With the legs and pontoons disposed out ofthe water,necessary maintenance can'be performed easily and readily without resortto a dry dock. Also, the hull 12 can serve substantially as aself-propelled flat-bottomed barge in shallow water or be towed in suchwater in the absence of a water screw 28. Maintenance on the undersideof the hull can be performed with the legs positioned as shown in FIGS.3 and/or 4.

To redispose the hull 12 in an elevated position, the procedure relativeto the legs 14 is reversed. The winches 34 are operated to lower thelegs from the positions shown in FIG. 6 to the positions shown in FIG.5, after which the rods 66 ofthe hydraulic rams 58 are fully extendedfor alignment of the openings 70 in the collars 68 with their respectivelocking pins 72. To effect such alignment more easily, each cylindricalcasing 60 has associated therewith a limit stop 76 and a pair of guides78 mounted on the hull as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Connected to thecasing 60 at a point spaced from its pivotal connection 64 is a tensionspring 80 which urges the casing against the stop 76 and between theguides 78. The hydraulic ram 58 can then be actuated to swing the legsto the depending positions shown in FIG. 3 or to any intermediatepositions such, for example, as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 9, the posts 48 are provided with upwardlydiverging slide ways or channels 82 and 84. Slidably mounted in thechannels 82 are a plurality of panels 86, a similar number of panels 88being slidably mounted in the channels 84. Thus, when the panels 86 and88 are slid downwardly, the lower edges thereof are made to engage eachother and/or the pontoon l6 and close off the open work portion of eachleg. It will be appreciated, of course, that the lower and side edges ofthe sliding panels 86 and 88 have associated therewith gaskets or othersuitable sealing material for providing a substantially watertightchamber when the panels are in their lowermost positions. Suchdisposition ofthe panels, combined with the upward divergence thereof,provides additional buoyancy for a greater lifting effect, particularlyin rough water with high swellsv Also, the panels can be provided withcheck valves, not shown, adjacent to their lower edges to allow water todrain from a chamber when it is above water.

The sliding of the panels 86 and 88 can be effected in any suitablemanner. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, each panel 86 haspivoted thereto one end of a link 90, the other end of the link beingpivotally connected by a pin 92 to an actuating bar 94 suitably mountedfor reciprocal linear sliding movement. Also pivotally connected to thepin 92 is one end of a link 96, the other end of the link being pivotedto a stationary part of a leg. Each pair of links 90 and 96 constitute atoggle linkage, the toggle linkages being operative when the bar 94 ismoved in onedirection to slide the panels 86 to their lowermostpositions, reverse movement of the bar raising the panels to thepositions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each actuating bar 94 is operativelyconnected to an hydraulic ram 98 or the like for reciprocal actuationthereof. A somewhat similarly constructed actuating linkage, designatedgenerally by reference numeral 100, serves to slide the panels 88 up anddown, as desired.

The sliding panels arenormally in a raised position when the watervehicle is at anchor. With the panels up, the effective area of the legssubject to the forces of wind and broadside waves is kept to a minimumand the stability of the vessel is thereby increased. Additionally, anyforce or action which moves either of the pontoons upwardly causes aproportional shift in the position of the stabilizing weight whichserves to counteract the upward movement. When in transit or under waywith the panels in the lowered positions, the additional buoyancyprovided thereby as the vehicle encounters high swells causes thevehicle to move upwardly or rise as previously described. However, thestabilizing weight acts to counter such upward movement so that the riseof the vehicle is gradual.

The water vehicle of the present invention is preferably designed sothat each pontoon has a reserve buoyancy equal to about one-sixth of itsdisplacement and the stabilizing weight to have a weight in waterapproximately equal to the reserve buoyancy of one pontoon. Theindicated reserve buoyancy is desired to position the pontoons in thewater with the waterline or water air interface in the vicinity oftheankle portions 56 so as to counteract surface wind and wave forces andreduce resistance to movement ofthe vehicle when under way. It will beappreciated, of course, that the smaller the reserve buoyancy, thesmaller the stabilizing weight can be. In effect, then a fairly largeweight, that is, the total weight of the water vehicle, its load and thestabilizing weight, is controlled by use of a relatively smaller weight,the stabilizing weight. If desired, the stabilizing weight 18 can bereplaced with an undersea research vehicle of suitable weight or thewater vehicle can be designed to carry a heavier research vehicle.

OPERATION The operation of the water vehicle of the present invention isbelieved to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point.In a normal sea state'situation, the water vehicle legs 14 arepositioned as shown in FIG. 3 with the sliding panels in their raisedpositions and the stabilizing weight lowered to a considerable depth inthe water. In transit, the same conditions prevail, the water level orwater air interface being in the vicinity ofthe ankle portions of thelegs. However. in rougher water accompanied by high swells, the legs areunlocked by actuation of the hydraulic rams64' and are swung outwardlyby the rams 58 to obtain a broader supporting base and lower the centerof gravity of the water vehicle, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, toprovide greater stability. When at anchor, the sliding panels aremaintained in their raised positions but are lowered to water chamberforming positions for additional buoyancy during transit.

In preparation for maintenance on the legs and pontoons or for operationin shallow water, the legs are unlocked and the hydraulic rams 58 andthe winches for the cables 20 and 24 are appropriately actuated fordisposing the weight and legs as shown in FIG. 5, the resulting slack inthe cables 36 being taken up by a suitable operation of the winches 34.The hydraulic rams 74 are then actuated to withdraw the pins 72 anddisconnect the hydraulic rams 58 from the legs after which the winches34 are actuated to pull the legs to upstanding positions, as shown inFIG. 6. The rods 66 of the hydraulic rams 58 are retracted and the watervehicle is then ready for operation in shallow water or for necessarymaintenance.

To return the water vehicle to the attitude shown in FIG.-3, the winches34 are reverse actuated to lower the legs and pontoons to the positionsshown in FIG. 5 with the pontoons floating on the surface. The hydraulicrams 58 are then actuated to extend the rods 66 thereof after which thehydraulic rams 74 are actuated to insert pins 72 in the collars 68 forlatching the rods to the legs. The winches connected to the cables 20and 24 are then actuated to lower the stabilizing weight 18 and the rods66 are retracted to swing the legs downwardly and gradually elevate thehull l2 above the water surface. With the broad bases 54 ofthe leg posts48 in engagement with the hull 12, the rams 74' are actuated to insertthe locking pins 72' in the apertured tangs 68' for locking the legs inplace.

There has thus been provided a water vehicle positionable to attaingreater stability under prevailing conditions in which maintenance canbe performed without the necessity of going into a dry dock.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent devices and apparatus.

lclaim:

l. A water vehicle comprising a plurality of buoyant pontoons adapted tofloat in water. a l'loatable hull to which the pontoons are connectedfor relative movement and for supporting the hull in elevationallyspaced relation above the water, and means for moving the pontoonsrelative to the hull for lowering the hull to a floating position on thewater. said pontoons being connected to the hull by buoyant tapered legsto provide additional buoyancy to assist the pontoons in supportingsaidhull in its elevated position.

2. The vehicle of claim 5 in'which each leg has a substantially wavetransparent lower open work construction, and movable elementsassociated therewith positionable to close off the open workconstruction to provide said additional buoyancy.

3. The water vehicle of claim 1 in which each pontoon is joined to itsleg by a relatively narrow ankle portion which presents a minimum ofarea transversely of the direction of movement of the vehicle throughthe water for minimizing resistance to movement of the vehicle. each leghaving an upwardly diverging configuration from said ankle portion to asubstantially wider upper base portion providing an upwardly increasingvolumeand lifting effect in rough water with high swells. I

4. The water vehicle of claim 3 including a stabilizing weight suspendedbelow the hull from the pontoons for automatic adjustable positioningrelative to the hull during said movement of the pontoons.

5. A water vehicle comprising a floatable hull portion, a pair of legshinged to the sides of the hull portion each adapted to swing between adepending position and laterally outward positions, a pontoon connectedto each of the legs for supporting the hull portion elevationally abovea body of water when each of the legs is in said depending position, andmeans for swinging the legs to laterally outward positions for thepurposes of stability and maintenance. each of said legs being ofbuoyant tapered configuration with a relatively broad base end pivotedto the hull portion and a relatively narrow ankle end joined to theassociated pontoon.

6. The water vehicle of claim Sin which each leg has sliding panelspositionable thereon to create a substantially water tight chamber forproviding additional buoyancy.

7. A water vehicle comprising a hull having opposite sides; a pontoon oneach side of the hull and spaced from its respective side ofthe hullsubstantially the same distance as the other pontoon. the hull beingsufficiently buoyant to support the vehicle including the pontoons whenthe latter are elevated above the water and the pontoons having anaggregate buoyancy sufficient to support the vehicle including the hullwhen the hull is elevated above the water; and means interconnectingeach of the pontoons and its adjacent side of the hull correspondinglyoperable to raise the pontoons for support of the vehicle on the hull,to lower the pontoons to water engagement to support the 'vehicle on thehull and the pontoons and to raise the hull to support the vehicle onthe pontoons. said pontoons being connected to their respective sides ofthe hull by pivoted legs which are buoyant, said legs being raised fromthe water when the hull is raised, being raised from-the water when thepontoons are raised but being'in the water for maximum vehicle supportwhen both the pontoons and the hull are in water engagement.

8. A water vehicle comprising a hull floatable in a body of water; apair of pontoons; and a pair of tapered legs individually pivotallymounting said pontoons on the hull for movement between a plurality ofadjusted positions relative to the hull for disposing the hull upon andin elevationally spaced relation to the water, said legs being buoyantto provide additional floatation to assist the pontoons in supportingthe hull when disposed in its elevated position.

